Chamber and committees

There are no plans for either Ministers or officials to visit the Maldives. The First Minister and I will represent the interests of the Scottish Government by attending the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi to support Team Scotland and undertake other Scottish Government business. We will be supported by the appropriate officials.

We will continue to look at all aspects of operation of the Government Car Service to ensure efficiency.

The proposed Referendum (Scotland) Bill will be published shortly, and will focus the debate in Scotland on the need for economic and financial powers for the Scottish Parliament and Government as the only possible alternative to a decade or more of Westminster imposed cuts.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35364 on 13 September 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

There was no projected estimate in terms of income generated for the economy by The Gathering event. The event was part of the Homecoming Scotland 2009 programme of events and the target for return on investment for Homecoming Scotland 2009 was an 8:1 return.

The economic impact assessment of The Gathering conducted by the leading economic and social development consultancy, EKOS, showed that the event generated net additional impact of £8.8 million in Edinburgh and £10.4 million in Scotland. This represents a return on investment of 18:1 at the Edinburgh level and 21:1 at the Scottish level.

The target for Homecoming Scotland 2009 was to deliver an 8:1 return on the core investment of £5.5 million.

Independent research conducted by the leading economic and social development consultancy, EKOS, published on 21 May 2010 showed that Homecoming Scotland 2009 generated £53.7 million of additional tourism revenue for Scotland. This represents a return on investment of close to 10:1, 22 percent above the target set for the year.

We do not have figures at an Edinburgh level.

In ministerial guidance issued to the Scottish Funding Council on 25 February 2010 we asked the council to maintain its focus on making efficiencies. While the council has no powers to direct universities or colleges to merge, our guidance made clear that we expect the council to seek efficiencies in both its core funding for institutions and through strategic interventions. Where the council considers that the resources it distributes might deliver greater benefit through merged institutions, we would expect the council to engage appropriately with those institutions.

There have been six meetings of the Transport Scotland Board to date in 2010. Approved minutes of the meetings from February to June, showing the subjects discussed can be accessed at http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/about-us/board/meetings. The minutes of the August board meeting will be published once approved by the board.

No meetings have taken place between Scottish Government ministers and officials of the Scottish Islamic Foundation in 2010.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33896 on 8 June 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.